Richmond dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1884-1903, 1887-11-30
JACOB AsTOR TlIE FOURTH.
a Young Millionaire Makes Els
Debut with ~ swell Dinner Party.

A New York special says stir IN
high social circles is made Ivy this
weeks dcdW of John Jacob Aston the
Fourth. He is the only son Of William
Astor. who at present divides the Aston
millions equally with John Jacob Astor
the Third. isenOrmous financial import
ancc can be imagined. He j. Just from
graduation at Harvard, and his advent in
his particular cOfcrjo WAS made Gt "a
very formal dinner given by his
mother The significance OF this
occasion was increased and empha-
sized by the fact that eight girls, eligible
o. matrmonv with him, were among the
guests. They were the Misses May
Brady, daughter Of Judge Brady; Miss
Hewitt, daughter of Mayor Hewitt Miss
Winslow. a dcbNdAfc beauty from Alba
ny Charlotte Winthrop. a representa-
tive of Boston culture Belle Wilson, Il
-ister-in-law Of Mrs Orme Astor-Wilson
Miss pagct. Miss Barley, and Miss lur-
nmc Iho famous service Of solid gold,
costing a hundred Thousand dollars, was
used OH this great occasion. aud the
hostess wore diamonds OF still larger
value. There were seats at the table TOR
about 100. John Jacob Aston the Fourth
sat II the right hand of Mrs. AstOr. lie
wore sWailow-tail cost veiy low
vest, and black trousers Of marvel
lousy perfect it, for be has since early
youth been remarkable for careful cos
tuning. He is tall. lean. and big-bonod,
lacking m the solid, Engishy appear
anco of Lis father Ills features are II
regular. the nose being indicative Of
power rather than beauty. I'm short, he
is far from being a handsome youugman.
His age is twenty. he will not enter
upon any other career than that oil nil
honaire. lie viii neithergo into bust
ness or q profession Ills attalnments
ere ordinary, but he is quite able TO
figure as society beau. and as snch he
VII participate in all of the six cXclu-
s.yclv swcll-balls To occurat DolmOnico's
ia December. Schcming mothers viii
keep their eyes on HIM and apt daugh-
ters viii not neglect their chances to win
such prizr.
John Jacob Aston the Fourth would
be the posscssor Of not less than eighty
millions IL he were to inherit his fathers
hllt OF the Aston estate tomorrow. The
whole of that enormous fortune, rs osfi-
mated to-day for your correspondent by
a zeal estate expert, now amounts to
hundred and sixty millions hut the cal
cuiaton is largely gucSswork, for the
property sall IN houses and lpud in New
York city. the actual value of which
could only bc fixed by q sale The
policy of the Astors has always been
% invest the accumulutious of their
wealth in vacant lots. Thus the
steady rise IN values has tTemen-
lously enhanced their riches. and theau- /.
thoity already quoted says that If APP /
probation goes Tor another quarter of a /
century as it has during the last the As |
tors can hardly help getting into the /
twentieth century with two and fifty mil .
lions Your correspondent made his .
way yesterday from the outer TO the .
inner Office of the Astor brothers. The
oullling looks like bank. with many
clerks aud other hiDdrances TO a per-
,on0l interview with either William or
John Jacob the Third. il was only by
asserting important busines, that the
presence of William Aston was gained.
And what can / DO for you, sir 2"
be- inquired.
"lwould like 20 know Republication,
was the reply, chow much your son,
John Jacob, VIII probably inherit
If the pause which preceded the an
,wer was occupied bymental arithmetic
hc calculation came to nothing, for
what MI Aston said was, "John Jacob
viii not be likely to live in poorhouse."